Fruit-jar-cover holder.



' PATENTED MAY 10, 1 904. w. T. WILEY. 4 FRUIT JAR COVER HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wifgesses al hfam e ys UNITED STATES,

Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRUIT-JAFl-COVER HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,336, dated May 10, 1904. Application filed September 4, 1903. Serial No. 172,004. (No model.)

To and lull/07271 it may concern:

Be it known that LVVILLIAM T. WILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented anew and useful Fruit-Jar-Gover Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for securing the covers of fruit-jars and similar vessels to the vessels. and has for its object to prod uce a simply-constructed and readily-applied device whereby the cover of the jar may be quickly and firmly clamped in position and held from lateral movement thereon; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, with the improvement applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamp device detached. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification in the construction.

The jar or vessel to which the device is ap plicable is represented at 10 and formed with an annular shoulder 11 near the top and a seat 12 for the packing 13 between the shoulder and the rim of the jar, as shown. The cover 14 is formed with a depending rim 15, engaging the packing 13 and with its upper surface centrally depressed, as shown at 16. The locking means consists of a relatively strong resilient plate 17 having one end, 18, bent to engage the shoulder 11 on one side, and the other end, 19, bent to engage the shoulder on the opposite side and likewise continued into an outwardly-extending inclined finger-grip 20 to assist in attaching and detaching the plate. By this simple arrangement when the cover is to be secured the end 18 is passed beneath the shoulder 11 at any desired point and the end 19 20 pressed down over the shoulder at the opposite side, when the resiliency of the plate will cause it to firmly grip the cover and hold it firmly in position and hermetically seal the contents of the jar. Rigidly attached centrally to the plate 17 and extending transversely thereof is a lateral guard member 21, formed of relatively strong resilient material, with its ends adapted to engage the depressed portion of the cover at its walls 22, as shown. By this simple means the member 21 performs two important functions by first distributing the pressure over a greater area of the cover and, second, effectually preventing any tendency to lateral movement of the member 17, retaining it centrally of the cover at all times. This is an important feature of the invention and adds materially to the value and efiiciency thereof.

The cover having the central depression provides for the attachment of the holding-strip 17 at any desired point, as the member 21, rigidly attached thereto, will engage the side walls of the depressed portions at any point, it not being necessary to adjust the device to fit certain recesses. The portion 21 may be riveted to the member 17 or formed integral therewith, as may be preferred.

In Fig. 1 a modification in the construction is shown, consisting of substitutingfor the member 21 a cone or bell shaped member 23; but this would accomplish the same results and would not, therefore, be a departure from the principle of the invention.

The member 17 and its attachment 21 are constructed of relatively heavy resilient material, such as spring-steel, so that the cover member will be held in place with sufficient tenacity t0 effectually exclude air and moisture, and to this end when employed for widemouthed jars or vessels the strength of the holding members will be increased to correspond. By this means the device is admirably adapted to the larger sizes of jars, which is a very desirable advantage in devices of this character.

The jars and covers may be of any desired material and any size or capacity.

I claim as my invention-T 1. Thecombination withajarhavingacover formed with a depressed central portion, a locking member consisting of a resilient strip spanning said cover and having means for engaging the jar, said strip being provided with a transversely-disposed member for engaging the walls of said depressed central portion of angles to said strip and adapted to engage the walls of the depressed portion of the cover to hold the strip against lateral movement and retain it centrally of said cover at all times.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VILLIAiVI T. WILEY. W'itness es:

DAN F. BELDEN; HENRY C. DROGET. 

